As a dog owner in Saanich I can fully understand the banning of dogs from tennis courts as it is frustrating seeing an unwanted deposit on the ground.
Most dog owners are responsible, but like anything there are some that just don’t care and I see that on a daily basis. I pay it forward each and every day at my local park and out on walks by picking up rouge poo, and so do many of my friends. However, I laughed out loud when I read our mayor’s comment: “We have lots of parks for the dogs to run.”
Yes, Saanich has lovely parks but not one of then has a dedicated area for the puppies to run and play without bumping into joggers, bikers, Frisbee players, walkers, etc. We have contacted Saanich and spoke with Animal Control to be told that there are no plans for this in any of the Saanich parks. Isn’t it wonderful how quickly Saanich responded to the tennis court issue and but has done nothing for years on keeping our dogs safe and in a contained area, nevermind the general public who I am sure would be happy to see the dogs in a secure area in the park.
There are so many parks that have an unused area that so easily could be fenced for our furry friends to play and run safely. Remember we walk every day – 365 days a year – dog owners use the parks more than anyone else I would imagine, it’s time to consider us.
Shelagh de Sousa
Saanich
